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Psalm 116

1 I love the Lord, for he heard my voice;he heard my cry for mercy.2 Because he turned his ear to me,I will call on him as long as I live.

3 The cords of death entangled me,the anguish of the grave came over me;I was overcome by distress and sorrow.4 Then I called on the name of the Lord:“Lord, save me!”

5 The Lord is gracious and righteous;our God is full of compassion.6 The Lord protects the unwary;when I was brought low, he saved me.

7 Return to your rest, my soul,for the Lord has been good to you.

8 For you, Lord, have delivered me from death,my eyes from tears,my feet from stumbling,9 that I may walk before the Lordin the land of the living.

10 I trusted in the Lord when I said,“I am greatly afflicted”;11 in my alarm I said,“Everyone is a liar.”

12 What shall I return to the Lordfor all his goodness to me?

13 I will lift up the cup of salvationand call on the name of the Lord.14 I will fulfill my vows to the Lordin the presence of all his people.

15 Precious in the sight of the Lordis the death of his faithful servants.16 Truly I am your servant, Lord;I serve you just as my mother did;you have freed me from my chains.

17 I will sacrifice a thank offering to youand call on the name of the Lord.18 I will fulfill my vows to the Lordin the presence of all his people,19 in the courts of the house of the Lord—in your midst, Jerusalem.

5 When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord;he brought me into a spacious place.6 The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.What can mere mortals do to me?7 The Lord is with me; he is my helper.I look in triumph on my enemies.

8 It is better to take refuge in the Lordthan to trust in humans.9 It is better to take refuge in the Lordthan to trust in princes.10 All the nations surrounded me,but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.11 They surrounded me on every side,but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.12 They swarmed around me like bees,but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns;in the name of the Lord I cut them down.13 I was pushed back and about to fall,but the Lord helped me.14 The Lord is my strength and my defense[c];he has become my salvation.

15 Shouts of joy and victoryresound in the tents of the righteous:“The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!16 The Lord’s right hand is lifted high;the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!”17 I will not die but live,and will proclaim what the Lord has done.18 The Lord has chastened me severely,but he has not given me over to death.19 Open for me the gates of the righteous;I will enter and give thanks to the Lord.20 This is the gate of the Lordthrough which the righteous may enter.21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me;you have become my salvation.

22 The stone the builders rejectedhas become the cornerstone;23 the Lord has done this,and it is marvelous in our eyes.24 The Lord has done it this very day;let us rejoice today and be glad.

25 Lord, save us!Lord, grant us success!

26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.From the house of the Lord we bless you.[d]27 The Lord is God,and he has made his light shine on us.With boughs in hand, join in the festal processionup[e] to the horns of the altar.

28 You are my God, and I will praise you;you are my God, and I will exalt you.

Concerning Married Life

7 Now for the matters you wrote about: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.”2 But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband.3 The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.4 The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife.5 Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.6 I say this as a concession, not as a command.7 I wish that all of you were as I am. But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.

8 Now to the unmarried[a] and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do.9 But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

10 To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband.11 But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.

12 To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her.13 And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him.14 For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.

15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace.16 How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

Concerning Change of Status

17 Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.18 Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised.19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts.